The Vice President has few powers or duties explicitly provided for in the Constitution. The Vice President's primary function is to succeed to the presidency if the President dies, resigns, or is impeached and removed from office. Nine vice presidents have ascended to the presidency in this way: eight through the president's death, and one, Gerald Ford, through the president's resignation. In addition, the Vice President serves as the President of the Senate and may choose to cast a tie-breaking vote on decisions made by the Senate. Vice presidents have exercised this latter power to varying extents over the years.[1] The vice presidency was described by former VP John Nance Garner in 1960 as "not worth a bucket of warm piss".[2]

Prior to passage of the Twenty-fifth Amendment, a vacancy in the office of the Vice President could not be filled until the next election. Such vacancies were common; sixteen occurred before the 25th Amendment was ratified–as a result of seven deaths, one resignation (John C. Calhoun, who resigned to enter Congress), and eight cases in which the vice president succeeded to the presidency. This amendment allowed for a vacancy to be filled with appointment by the President and confirmation by both chambers of the U.S. Congress. Since the Amendment's passage, two vice presidents have been appointed through this process, Gerald Ford of Michigan in 1973 and Nelson Rockefeller of New York in 1974.[1] The office has been vacant for 13,800 days since the beginning of the United States federal government, or for approximately 37 years and 10 months.

The vice presidents have been elected from 21 states. More than half of them have come from just five states, New York (11), Indiana (5), Massachusetts (4), Kentucky (3), and Texas (3). Most vice presidents have been in their 50s or 60s and had political experience prior to assuming the office.[1] The youngest person to become Vice President was John C. Breckinridge at 36 years of age.

Vice presidents who became presidents

A timeline graph of Presidents with a highlighting of those who had been Vice Presidents. A gray arrow points to those who became president without having been elected as president. The double arrow indicates Ford becoming president without having been elected as vice president also. (See source image for more info.)

There have been 14 vice presidents who have become President of the United States.

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous information about age difference between vice-presidents and their presidents:[101]

Almost half of vice presidents (22 out of 46) were older than their presidents. Of those older VPs who later became president, none began their presidency by election, and only one of them, Lyndon B. Johnson, was later elected.

Incumbent (47th) vice president Joe Biden is also older than president Barack Obama, and he is the oldest vice-president compared to his president (18 years, 8 months, 15 days).

The biggest age difference between a president and a vice president was between president James Buchanan, and VP John C. Breckinridge (Breckinridge is younger by 29 years, 8 months, 29 days). This also makes Breckinridge the youngest VP compared to his president.

The least age difference between a president and a vice president was between president Abraham Lincoln, and VP Andrew Johnson (Johnson is older by 45 days).

John C. Breckinridge (at 36) is the youngest person to become vice president.

Miscellaneous information about election and tenure of office.

Al Gore (1993–2001) and Dick Cheney (2001–2009), are the first consecutive vice presidents to serve two full terms.

Gore (1992, 1996), Cheney (2000, 2004) and Joe Biden (2008, 2012) are the first three consecutive vice presidents to be elected to two terms.

See also

Notes

^Arriving in New York City before President-elect [5]

^Adams held those two diplomatic posts at the same time.

^The only Vice President to be sworn in outside of the United States of America (in Havana, Cuba), with special dispensation from Congress; twenty days after the original vice-presidential inauguration.

^"The Senate Prepares For A President". United States Senate. Retrieved December 12, 2009.

^"Thomas Jefferson". United States Senate. Retrieved December 12, 2009.

^"Jefferson, Thomas". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Aaron Burr". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Burr, Aaron". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"George Clinton". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Clinton, George". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Elbridge Gerry". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Gerry, Elbridge". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Daniel Tompkins". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Tompkins, Daniel D.". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"John Calhoun". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Calhoun, John Caldwell". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Martin Van Buren". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Van Buren, Martin". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Richard Mentor Johnson". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Johnson, Richard Mentor". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"John Tyler". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Tyler, John". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"George Dallas". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Dallas, George Mifflin". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Millard Fillmore". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Fillmore, Millard". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"William Rufus King". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"King, William Rufus de Vane". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"John Breckinridge". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Breckinridge, John Cabell". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Hannibal Hamlin". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Hamlin, Hannibal". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Andrew Johnson". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Johnson, Andrew". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Schuyler Colfax". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Colfax, Schuyler". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Henry Wilson". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Wilson, Henry". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"William Wheeler". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Wheeler, William Almon". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Chester Arthur". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Arthur, Chester Alan". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Thomas Hendricks". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Hendricks, Thomas Andrews". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Levi Morton". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Morton, Levi Parsons". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Adlai Stevenson". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Stevenson, Adlai Ewing". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Garret Hobart". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Hobart, Garret Augustus". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Theodore Roosevelt". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Roosevelt, Theodore". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Charles Fairbanks". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Fairbanks, Charles Warren". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"James Sherman". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Sherman, James Schoolcraft". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Thomas Marshall". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2010.

^"Marshall, Thomas Riley". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Calvin Coolidge". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Coolidge, Calvin". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Charles Dawes". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Dawes, Charles Gates". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Charles Curtis". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Curtis, Charles". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"John Nance Garner". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Garner, John Nance". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Henry Wallace". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Wallace, Henry Agard". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Harry Truman". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Truman, Harry S.". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Alben Barkley". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Barkley, Alben William". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Richard Nixon". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Nixon, Richard Milhous". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Lyndon Johnson". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Johnson, Lyndon Baines". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Hubert Humphrey". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Humphrey, Hubert Horatio". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Spiro Agnew". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Agnew, Spiro Theodore". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Gerald Ford". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Gord, Gerald Rudolph, Jr.". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Nelson Rockefeller". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Rockefeller, Nelson Aldrich". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Walter Mondale". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Mondale, Walter Frederick". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Bush, George Herbert Walker". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Dan Quayle". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Quayle, James Danforth". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Albert Gore". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.

^"Gore, Albert Arnold, Jr.". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

^"Bush back in action after colon procedure". CNN. June 29, 2002. Retrieved June 12, 2009.

^"Cheney, Richard Bruce". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 12, 2010.

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